A 21-year-old may be facing jail time after she stabbed her uncle while they were arguing on Saturday night around 9:30.
But while this story may seem like an open and shut case, it gets complicated as the niece reportedly endured years of torment from her uncle - and it all came a head when she claims he stole and sold her cell phone.
Now the family is left fighting to keep her out of jail on a murder charge, while mourning the loss of their loved one.
Courtney Menzies visited them and got the whole story.
A family feud over the weekend resulted in the death of 41-year-old Renickle Hemmans. Hemmans reportedly died at the hands of his 21 year old niece, Courtney Trapp who lived in the same house:
Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB Belize City
"Mr Hemmans has a misunderstanding with his niece and the argument started at the road where there was an exchange of words and bottles were thrown at each other. Inside of the yard a struggle ensued where it is alleged that the niece got hold of a knife and inflicted a stab wound to Mr Renickle Hemmans."
Jules Vasquez:
"Was the dispute indeed over a cellphone that could not be found?"
Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB Belize City
"Yes we understand that there was a cellphone issue that the niece was alleging that he had taken from her about two or three days before the incident."
Jules Vasquez:
"Was she alleging that he sold her phone, that's what I heard."
Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB Belize City
"Yes we understand that the cellphone was sold to somebody and that person had returned the phone but the phone was not in working condition."
A life lost over a cell phone, but the story may not be that simple - there was also a history of torment. Courtney Trapp's mother says she had many fights with her brother while she was living at the same house. And now, she regrets leaving her daughter to face what she had to endure for twenty years. But she will keep fighting for the innocence of her daughter who she says acted in in self-defense.
Voice of: Shuiny Trapp Gardener, Sister of Deceased/Mother of Accused
"My daughter is a cool person, she's a graduate from Wesley College, she isn't hanging from block to block to block, nobody knows her nowhere, she doesn't have a police record. My little girl is as calm as a calf. Twenty years of enduring this crap from my brother isn't any joke, people are out there talking out of - I don't want to say it - but they don't know the story."
"While they are out there ranting, and talking, and saying it's about a phone, miss, this is far bigger than a phone. I am picturing myself in my daughter's shoes right now because if I was here I think that would have been me. For the amount of fights we have fought here, it isn't any joke."
"That was self-defense, miss, I wasn't here but the people around here said it was self-defense. When my little girl was at the police station last night, she had to go to the hospital. Why? Because he had his hand, it messed up my little girl's throat. So how could that not be self defense?"
There is still hope that Trapp may not even see the inside of a jail cell. Police have not classified the case as murder, and will await directions from the DPP.
Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB Belize City
"The investigation is still ongoing, several statement have been recorded, persons have been interview, the suspect has been interviewed and based on what we have so far, we have put up a file, and those documents were sent to the office of the DPP for them to advise us as to what is the correct charge to levy, if any."
And while the DPP will decide, his brother is now mourning the loss of two of his relatives:
Emerson Trapp, Brother of Deceased
"All I could do is remember him as family… the both of them. Family. Now it's like an empty hole that will take a while to patch because it's two of them. He died, she is going to jail. He is somebody who stays on his grind, he looks out for his daughter."
Courtney Menzies:
"And how old is his daughter, does she live here?"
Emerson Trapp, Brother of Deceased
"She doesn't live here. I don't really know how old her."
Cowo confirmed the Trapp had made a police complaint about the stolen cell phone.
Trapp's mother is now concerned at the way the police are handling the investigation and fears the worst for her daughter.
